November 14, 2111
Dancing-Sky
Commotion and anticipation were high on the bridge. Aboard the Whispering Dragon, Dancing-Sky wondered to herself, Why couldn't they make any form of contact with the soldiers on the planet Idor? James Stone's Legionnaires and Wild-Heart's Commandos were left there without command, intelligence, or resources. To most captains, that was the beginning of a nightmare scenario; luckily, those two weren't most captains.
The Whispering Dragon was only minutes from exiting the wormhole leading to Idor. From a seat near the strategy table, Dancing-Sky gazed out the hard-glass barrier into the vastness of space. The wormhole was gorgeous and instantly reminded her of a crystal ball - a glimmering sphere showing distorted images of the piece of space that lay beyond the shortcut through space. With slip space technology, creating wormholes through space is how intergalactic species travel, and the view is a marvelous piece of eye candy. Inside a wormhole, things look like you're traveling down the center of a wide tunnel. At the front end of the tunnel is the region of space the star cruiser is headed toward, and behind is the region it left behind.
On star cruisers, the bridge is the nerve center of the vessel, manned by the top officers and advisors of most departments.
From a chair stationed near a strategy table, Dancing-Sky could oversee all major personnel stations and holographic screens to facilitate.
"Commander, we are exiting slip space," one of the three flight helmsman announced from the flight control console - the station right behind the hard-glass barrier.
Individuals at this station were responsible for the actual piloting and controlling of the star cruiser. Despite many of these functions being heavily automated, the critical nature of potential emergencies demanded at least three helmsmen to oversee these operations at all times. When battles break out in space, they have access to the ship's weapon arsenal and maneuverable capabilities.
"Idor inbound, as per trajectory," added the ship navigator from the right corner of the bridge. The major duty of this individual is to chart and set coordinates for slip space jumping. Additionally, they keep track of ally and enemy vessels nearby.
Dancing-Sky got up from her commander's chair, gripping the railing of the nearby commander table. She looked further back to her operations assistant at the back right of the room, near the door to exit the bridge. "Tell the executive engineer to prepare the slip space drive for a hasty exit if shivf hits the fan." In short, operations assistants make the lives of commanders easier.
"On it, ma'am," the new operations assistant said.
Dancing-sky put up her hand to stop him just before he opened a channel. "On this ship, never address me as 'ma'am'. Call me Dancing-Sky, Sky, or commander. I don't take to formalities."
"Right… sorry." He opened the channel to the engineer.
"Get the shields up. I want the ship on alert," Dancing-Sky commanded the flight helmsman.
They flipped on the shields just as the Whispering Dragon exited slip space. The wormhole closed into nothing. In view, through the front hard-glass panels, was Idor. The entire planet was engulfed in a blood-red mist that swirled around like a cloud. The entire crew inside the bridge looked on in awe.
"Well, that's new," stated the science advisor from his work area at the front left of the bridge. Even after all his studies of the myriad planets and science, he had no knowledge of this new phenomenon.
"No shivf," added the tactics advisor, whose work area was right beside the science advisor. Someone with this title has the responsibility of aiding the commander and first officer with battle tactics, as well as coordinating these tactics with the involved squadrons. Sometimes, however, commanders speak directly with captains, especially if their missions are of absolute importance.
"What do you think it is?" the first officer asked the science advisor. His station was just behind the commander's chair and strategy table. As second in command of the ship, the first officer was trying to gain as much information as possible.
"According to these readings--" the science advisor said as he stared at the hologram project in front of him, "--that red mass doesn't fit any known compounds. I can tell you this, though: Whatever it is, it feeds on electrically infused devises and cuts off any wavelengths from passing through it including light. Sky, there is no foreseeable way to send ships through that mass, and within a week, we won't have a need to."
Dancing-Sky's eyes widened, and a slack-jawed mask fell over her face. "Are you saying what I think you are?"
"Within a week, that planet's average surface temperature will drop well below freezing. A few days longer, and life will cease to exist."
"Given that we lost communication a day ago, we have a week max to get our soldiers and the citizens off that planet," the first officer reiterated.
"Any suggestions?" Dancing-Sky asked the room of highly intelligent individuals. "Any?" The room was silent for moments.
Alert!
The buzzing alarm on the ship's control console began blinking red.
"Sky, we have incoming vessels!" the navigator advised. "Scanning… two Wersillian carriers! Behemoth-Class!"
"Shivf! Prepare an escape route!" Dancing-Sky instructed. "I want us out of here!"
"What about our soldiers? And the citizens? We can't leave them!" the first officer rallied.
"We won't! When we get reinforcements, we will come back for them. Right now, take us to one of Idor's moons… out of sight from the enemy cruisers."
Rapidly, they created a wormhole and accelerated straight into it, pushing the engine to its maximum limits. With that, the Whispering Dragon retreated, waiting to fight another day.